A controversial debate involving a Montana lawmaker, her daughter, and her stance on transgender health issues has made headlines, leading to an ongoing media-fueled harassment campaign. Republican State Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, from Billings, is being targeted by NBC News and other left-leaning outlets, with accusations that she’d prefer her daughter to risk suicide than transition, a position she steadfastly denies. Seekins-Crowe spoke about her family’s experience with mental health issues, and drew comparisons between transgender behavior and actions that individuals who are suicidal might threaten, such as self-harm. “While the Montana representative said nothing about her daughter flirting with transgenderism, NBC News ran with the manufactured narrative anyway.”
“NBC’s headline remains, ‘A Montana lawmaker suggested she’d rather risk her child’s suicide than let her transition.’ Other left-wing outlets, including Salon and The Advocate, regurgitated NBC’s fabricated journalism.”
Seekins-Crowe’s remarks were made in the context of a broader controversy in Helena, involving the state’s first transgender-identified lawmaker, Zooey Zephyr of Missoula. Zephyr was banned from the House after encouraging a transgender “insurrection” and making inflammatory comments about her Republican colleagues’ support for a ban on transgender medical interventions for minors. Her ban led to an eruption of pro-transgender demonstrations, with police in riot gear called to clear the public gallery. Zephyr attempted to regain access to the House floor through a lawsuit, but her motion was denied.
This political and societal controversy in Montana arrived at a pivotal moment, as Montana Republican Governor Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 99 into law, banning transgender medical interventions for minors. This decision was made in response to an attack on Montana’s Capitol by pro-transgender rights protesters.
Seekins-Crowe’s speech was framed as a response to Zephyr’s words, “don’t die, stay alive.” She criticized left-wing gender therapists for using suicidal ideation threats to manipulate parents of children struggling with gender dysphoria to pursue “gender affirmation” treatments.
In support of her stance, Seekins-Crowe cited reports suggesting such treatments may lead to increased suicide rates. A Heritage Foundation report highlighted the risks of allowing minors access to cross-sex treatments without parental consent, stating it significantly increased suicide rates. Further, a Swedish study indicated individuals receiving “gender-affirming treatment” were 19 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
